HR 3131: To direct the Secretary of State to submit a report on whether any support organization that participated in the planning or execution of the recent Gaza flotilla attempt should be designated as a foreign terrorist organization and any actions taken by the Department of State to express gratitude to the government of Greece for preventing the Gaza flotilla from setting sail in contravention of Israel's legal blockade of Gaza, and for other purposes.

Congress: 112 · Status: active · Israel/Palestine classification: pro-Israel

Data (JSON) — machine-readable record of this bill (identifiers, sponsor, classification, actions, and the member-by-member vote breakdown).

Official record on Congress.gov — full text, actions, and cosponsor history for HR 3131.

Sponsor: Bilirakis, Gus M. (R-Florida)

Summary

Expresses the sense of Congress that the United States should take diplomatic steps to express gratitude to Greece for upholding the rule of law in preventing hostile forces from violating a legal naval blockade of Gaza by Israel and thereby advancing the security of its ally Israel. Directs the Secretary of State to report to Congress on whether any support organization that participated in the planning or execution of the recent Gaza flotilla attempt should be designated as a foreign terrorist organization.

Editorial Explainer

The bill expresses support for Greece's decision to prevent a Gaza flotilla from sailing and directs the State Department to report whether organizations involved in planning or executing the flotilla attempt should be labeled as foreign terrorist organizations. It also asks the State Department to report what diplomatic steps it has taken to thank Greece for blocking the flotilla.

Why it matters

This measure could affect which pro-Palestinian advocacy groups face U.S. terrorism designations, which carry severe legal and financial consequences. The framing of the flotilla as a 'hostile force' violating a 'legal blockade' reflects a particular characterization of the Gaza blockade's legitimacy, which remains contested in international law.

Cosponsors (14)